Lentils with Glazed Onions and Green Tomatoes
This dish was inspired by the spectacular lentils I found at the market from one of my favorite farmers, Jacob Grant, who owns Roots Organic Farm. His stand always has a magnificent cornucopia of seasonal vegetables, and he delights in sharing his latest horticultural treasures with his customers. I was positively giddy when he showed me these. The result is a healthy, earthy and nourishing salad packed with a multitude of flavors. It’s a terrific dish for lunch or dinner, served as part of a vegetarian feast or as an accompaniment to roast chicken, grilled meats or fish.
Lentils with Glazed Onions and Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Lentils
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- Olive oil
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon pistachios, chopped
- 3-4 Green Zebra tomatoes, cut into eighths
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- ¼ cup small basil leaves, packed
For the Vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin or basil olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, or pear champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the lentils and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a strong simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. The lentils should still retain their shape and not be mushy. Drain, then return the lentils to the saucepan. Drizzle the lentils with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and 3–4 grinds of pepper. Toss to combine.
- To caramelize the onions while the lentils are cooking, pour1 tablespoon of olive oil into a cast-iron skillet or small pan and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and Herbes de Provence, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–14 minutes, or until the onions are soft, translucent and golden brown. Add the pistachios and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the cooked onions, tomatoes and chives to the cooked lentils and gently mix. Spoon the lentil salad into a serving bowl and dot the surface with the basil leaves.
- Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl to form an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the lentils and serve.
Nutrition
Pascale Beale
Chef, teacher and food writer, Pascale Beale, owner of Pascale’s Kitchen, grew up in an eccentric European family who cherish food, wine and the arts. She is the author of 10 Mediterranean-style cookbooks, including the best sellers Salade and Salade II. Her food memoir, 9’ x 12’: Adventures in a Small Kitchen, a multi-media book, is hosted on Substack. Her latest cookbook is Flavour: Savouring the Seasons.
